Ukraine MPs at an extraordinary session on Tuesday decided Invalidating nine laws adopted January 16, including providing for stricter accountability for violations during mass actions. This was reported by Interfax.
For such a decision voted 361 deputies out of 412 registered in the hall on Tuesday. In particular, the Party of Regions – 167, “Fatherland” – 81 strokes – 39, “Freedom” – 35, CPU – 0, individual deputies – 39.
MPs to repeal the law “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine on the judicial system and status of judges and procedural laws regarding additional measures to protect the safety of citizens”, as well as a law on amendments to the regulations of the Verkhovna Rada, which simplifies the procedure for granting consent to prosecution, detention or arrest MPs who have committed a crime.
In addition, laws repealed “Responsibility for administrative violations in the field of road safety, recorded in the automatic mode”, a law on liability for administrative offenses during football matches, the Law on Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code concerning criminal proceedings in absentia.
Was also repealed, making the government’s proposed amendments to the Tax Code, which resumed the release of natural gas imported to Ukraine from value added tax, suspended in late 2013.
Note that the January 16 parliamentary majority adopted a law on the responsibility for the destruction of monuments to Soviet soldiers and justification for the crimes committed by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II. Today, they also were canceled in one package with other documents. But then the deputies decided to exclude these laws (to protect monuments and justification against fascism) of the number of abolished. For their re-adoption voted 257 MPs.
In addition, the parliamentary leader of the “Fatherland” Yatsenyuk said that the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday will consider a bill to establish a special committee to amend the Constitution of Ukraine, RIA Novosti reported.
The resignation of the prime minister
A few hours earlier Mykola Azarov announced his resignation from the post of Prime Minister of Ukraine.
MP from the Party of Regions faction Vyacheslav Lukyanenko told Itar-Tass that the meeting of leaders of factions in the office of the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of the question of the government was not considered.
“The Verkhovna Rada is not legally allowed to consider the government’s resignation at an extraordinary session,” – he explained.
“Therefore, most likely, the question of the government will be discussed at the opening of the regular session of the Verkhovna Rada on February 4,” – added Lukyanenko.
History of conflict
Mass rallies supporters of European integration in Kiev and other Ukrainian regions started on 21 November, following a statement by the Government to suspend the preparation of the Association Agreement with the EU, which is scheduled to issue at the summit of “Eastern Partnership” in Vilnius.
On the night of November 30, riot police broke up a demonstration in the center of Kiev. The next day, the opposition took over the area. The protesters tried to storm the building of the Ukrainian presidential administration and even attacked him on the tractor. Law enforcement agencies held the line against, without going to the active use of force. A few days later on “evromaydane” representatives of the EU and the U.S., who have expressed their support for the protesters.
The situation worsened in early 2014. January 16 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a number of amendments to the legislation criminalizing extremism. It was also toughen penalties for organizing mass riots.
Parliament’s decision angered supporters of the radical “evromaydana.” January 19 protesters decided to go to the building of the Verkhovna Rada Hrushevskoho Street. Several hundred right-wing activists entered into a violent confrontation with the police near the stadium “Dynamo”. On the night of January 19 to 20 radicals set fire to several trucks and buses, which are used to partition off commandos carriageway. January 20 protesters managed to use the skeletons of burned buses for building new barricades near the main entrance of the stadium “Dynamo”.
In the night from 21 to 22 January guards began to drive away from the street demonstrators Hrushevskoho. Radicals tried to keep the position, but to no avail. Riot police were able to take the barricades of opposition supporters at the gates of the stadium “Dynamo”. Rioters retreated to the European area. In the evening they returned to the street Hrushevskoho and fanned on the roadway huge bonfires. Under the cover of smoke most active rioters ran to the side of law enforcement fireworks and throwing bottles with “Molotov cocktail.”
Happy January 23 between the sides announced a truce. Meanwhile, opponents of the Ukrainian authorities have intensified in the regions. Day protesters occupied the city administration building in Lviv regional administration building in Rivne. The same evening, they managed to take control of the administration building in Ternopil and hold a major rally in Sumy. Confrontation between the authorities and the police began in the city of Cherkassy, which is located 160 km south of Kiev. Please protesters, armed with stones and firecrackers, besieged the building and took it by storm, but then law enforcement officials were able to convince them to leave. Upon the capture of the building prosecuted.
Evening of January 23 the opposition announced that they reject the terms proposed by the government. However, they confirmed their readiness to continue negotiations. Night from 23 to 24 January in Kiev was relatively calm.
As a result of the protests in the period from 19 to 24 January, according to official figures, three people were killed, more than 400 injured. Among the wounded – 254 law enforcement officers (104 hospitalized) and 157 protesters (72 hospitalized). According to law-enforcement bodies, since the beginning of the confrontation in Kiev for participating in the riots in the internal affairs bodies brought 103 people.
January 25 at about nine o’clock in the morning near the building Vinnytsia Oblast State Administration began a protest, which was later turned into a seizure of state building. Part of radical individuals broke into the room, tearing the extraordinary session of the regional council. Police launched an investigation into the incident.
The building of the regional council was captured in Poltava. Authorities and law enforcement authorities offered no resistance. Protesters held a meeting and established the People’s Rada, which took the decision to ban the Party of Regions and the Communist Party of Ukraine.
On the same day the Ukrainians asked Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko country which urged citizens to resort only to peaceful forms of protest, promising that they will not have anything to threaten, and the police will assist. At the same time, he said that the people staying at the Maidan and trapped buildings, will be regarded as extremists against whom force will be used, if they go “into action.”